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Pablo (At The Park) / Emmanuel (Video)
STEAMHAMMER
Aeon Spoke are a Los Angeles four piece who find the middle ground between Snow Patrol, Coldplay and U2; writing emotionally overwrought songs that deal in soaring melodies, sweeping guitar histrionics and swelling emotional angst.
Taken from their self titled AEON SPOKE long player, latest single PABLO (AT THE PARK) is a radio friendly slice of indie rock that takes the above reference points and sees the band turning them into gold.
Frontman Paul Masvidal sings his heart out; emotions laid bear, bloodied and bruised. As subtle guitar work swells and expands, its the complex interplay that rises to the fore; the melodies and intertwining instrumentation revealing new and engaging combinations on each repeat listen.
An engaging and mesmerising single, PABLO (AT THE PARK) finds Aeon Spoke revealing themselves as a band on the verge of breakthrough; this is emotionally charged and wonderful sounding stuff.
BIOGRAPHY
Aeon Spoke is Paul Masvidal (vocals/guitar), Sean Reinert (drums/backing vocals), Evo (guitar), Chris Kringel (bass). Paul and Sean first bonded musically as teenagers in Miami, where proficiency and perseverance saw their first band Cynic propelled to indie bestseller status. Cynic went on to become the stuff of cults and web shrines dedicated to their influential and visionary prog-art-rock-metal band. As the most requested reissue in the Roadrunner catalog, the Cynic debut titled Focus was re-released October 5th 2004. After the excitement of world tours and international kudos, the pair relocated to Los Angeles and formed Aeon Spoke with Evo, introduced by mutual friends and most recently ex-Cynic bassist Chris Kringel was welcomed back.
The band moved into the Silver Lake community of East LA and began rehearsals downtown. Establishing a deep musical connection, they began performing throughout California. A collection of songs would soon become the debut Aeon Spoke record, completed at various recording studios (including their own home facilities and friends' closet spaces) and co-produced/mixed by John Hiler (Smashing Pumpkins, Liz Phair, Hedwig & The Angry Inch). "Lyrically the record explores the depths of spiritual isolation that underlies the human condition," explains lead singer and lyricist Paul Masvidal. Paul had worked as a caretaker for the dying while writing the songs for this record, doing music therapy for transplant patients and other critically ill people. "I came to find out what was most important about living through working with the dying."
Aeon Spoke's sound is at once earthy and ethereal. Song themes describe the rawer emotions of human experience and reflect on unanswered questions of living in the here and now. Deceptively simple rhythms lay the foundation for soaring vocal melodies and otherworldly harmonic guitar textures.
Influences range from early classic folk/rock to many of the contemporary artists expanding the boundaries of modern music. The band's conviction is "to push the envelope and to keep growing as artists." says Masvidal "It's important to us that our music add new shades of colour to the existing palate of song writing and sound."
LINE UP
Paul Masvidal>vocals/guitar
Evo>guitar
Chris Kringel>bass
Sean Reinert>drums/vocals
DISCOGRAPHY
EMMANUEL (2005>Mercy Stroll Recordings)
Emmanuel
Nothing
PABLO (AT THE PARK) (Steamhammer>2007)
Pablo (At The Park)
Emmanuel (Video)
LINKS
Aeon Spoke>www.aeonspoke.com
FURTHER LISTENING
Coldplay>A Rush Of Blood To The Head (2002>Parlophone)
Cave-In>Jupiter (2000>Hydra Head Records)
Autumndivers>Autumndivers (2005>OnlineRock Records)
Review date: April 2007 |
